SAS The start!

As the title says i want to start my sas thread!! Its my first one so dont make fun of me.I have a $5000 loan for this swap.(thanks to grandma) but im still trying to save as much as i can incase parts go boom. AND I NEED A WELDER AS WELL. I have just about everything i need to do this and get it in my 1995 eddie bauer 4x4 4.0 idk the engine type but its 4x4 :..I have just about everything except a rear end haha heres the story..i got my hands on a dana 44 from an f150. i want to keep it full width but i dont not know if its to wide for my sec gen. but i like the stability cause this is a DD!!i live in cali and i need this to get places and get around. i make snow trips and camping trips during the season but no trails..dont plan to. Anyways i have a full width 44 from an f150 and i do not have a rear..the rear is a stock 8.8 i supose?? i want to gear them from stock to 5.13s front and back..I need to help on the size of the wheel spacers i need to make the rear match the front width if possible..I want to run 35x12.50 16 or 15 not sure.The rear will be SOA to fit them nice and snug. Im looking for a little prerunner look because my ex now sits front down a** up haha The front will be the usual dana 44 on springs, possibly 5.5 wildhorse. but only 12 inch shocks due to no room in the wheel well for longer(open to suggestions on shocks)
Heres the list of my parts i have to do the swap
Dana 44 stock i believe
5.5 wildhorse springs(ordering this weekend)
bilenstein 12 inch shocks (4)
Stock steering arms and drag links.
94 ex steering box
broncograveyard flat steer arm
stock RA(will be extended to mount near transcase)
5 spd man transcase dont know where from i think a fellow ex.
going to get drive shaft extended when fully lifted to get measurments
superlift RA mount. Going to weld across the frame
I NEED SWAP BAR IDEAS FOR FRONT..i dont want to sway everywhere on the road and the rear has a stock one. i need something for up front.
35x12.5r16
16 inch procomp alloys. need to get lug converstion kit but dont know which one yet.
OPEN to suggestions to guys before i order the parts
Pics will come along with the build as soon as i start this sucker.
hopes it an easy job my dad will help me as well since im 19 years old ha
Thanks guys hope to get some help from you fellow SAS guys on here hehe

 

[Glen4X4]

Here's what I wonder....why take a loan for a SAS (especially when its from your grandmother) when it is least of worries for a truck especially when its a D.D. It's not as simple as just welding it to the LC's cross member it takes plenty of custom fabrication....Do a TT/shackle and 3inch BL cut your fenders then you can fit 35's without spending 5k dollars and will still make for D.D.

What is a 5spd man transcase?

 

[mrbird09]

manual transfercase bro. its 4x4 i already have the parts and i realize its major fab work..but my dad built cars and his buddy builds bikes soooo f the fender cutting i dont want my truck all beat up im sorry. sas it is worse comes to worse ill have a shop fab it for me with my loan..and she just cosigned for it im payin it btw

 

[Blee1099]

Maybe spend that $5K on proper grammar and punctuation.

 

[chad551]

I guess one of my questions is why are doing a SAS on a vehicle that will not be used for trails? You can do a TT/Shackle lift and a body lift and put 35's on it.

Also why are running 5:13 gears for 35" tires? I have 4:56 gears and 35's and my truck drives great on and off the road.

Also I do not think you will get spacers wide enough to make the stock Evplorer rear axle as wide as a full width D44. I could be wrong though.

 

[mrbird09]

Maybe spend that $5K on proper grammar and punctuation.

well your nobody so your opinion doesnt count thanks. like i said its my first one so i could careless bro

 

[mrbird09]

I guess one of my questions is why are doing a SAS on a vehicle that will not be used for trails? You can do a TT/Shackle lift and a body lift and put 35's on it.

Also why are running 5:13 gears for 35" tires? I have 4:56 gears and 35's and my truck drives great on and off the road.

Also I do not think you will get spacers wide enough to make the stock Evplorer rear axle as wide as a full width D44. I could be wrong though.

chad i appreciate your inputs unlike the other guys here
anyways i want an sas cause they sit high and sit nice..i like the springs for some reason lol..but i want a lifted truck dont really want a BL. the sas will make my ex look mean and so i can keep up with my cousin and his lifted chevy. i know people that have sas and they dont do any wheelin. ive seen f250s lifted on sas along with chevys dodge etc..i plan on doing minor wheeling like when camping or going to the snow..but i hate not being about to haul ass in the snow cause my ex is stock and low to the ground. i want clearance. I want 5.13s cause thats what everyone says the speedo will be more accurate with 35s. i was thinking about 4.10s or 4.56 but it seemed like 5.13 were the way to go..ill look into 4.56 though sound like another route i can take if they are better for street driving?? im also looking for the best mpg also so any inputs?? thanks

 

[Burns]

Hey bro....


They are just trying to help you.....I would like to add that you might want to step back and see if a SAS is right for you. If your now wheeling your rig then dont do this. Its a waste of money. If you wheeling this rig how much? How often? Where? What type of terrain?

The other thing is up keep. They are expensive to keep up....trust me I drove mine 24,000 miles each year...yeah I have some experience there....


So before you blow the whole 5k sit back and re-think this process.

 

[mrbird09]

i appreciate the help but im pretty sure about this..i plan to have this car for a while since its my first car and im in school so money is tight for a new rig. im probably going to have a shop fab me one up. i got a pretty good estimate for everything..under 5k with tires and rims!! i see rigs around with sas like jeeps and rangers and it looks like they run fine..what car does not need service done to it though? im only runnin 35s so if i can do that with a BL why not an sas. ill probably just do wheelin when im in the mood near some trail and she how she does.nothing to major to damage anything. If the sas works with the truck i get it from why would i have problems with my rig if a shop fabs it correctly..i don't get it..spending 5 k is cheaper then buying a new car and getting a lift installed on that too let alone it will have high mileage if i go cheap

 

[turboexplorer]

well your nobody so your opinion doesnt count thanks. like i said its my first one so i could careless bro

Check out his posts! Pretty sure he is more than well known through the forum!

Good luck but I agree, if you just want a DD and weekend wheeler you may want to rethink where you are spending your money.

 

[Randall]

.i plan to have this car for a while since its my first car and im in school so money is tight for a new rig. im probably going to have a shop fab me one up.

'Money is tight' and ' have a shop fab me one up' don't usually go together. If you can, get some information about what exactly they are going to do to your truck for $5000. Like others have said, look around at other builds on the site to get an idea of costs vs. expectations. The Solid Axle Swap Registry is a good place to start. My general rule of thumb is, what ever you expect it to cost, double it. That has pretty much held true on every project I have gotten myself into.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

well your nobody so your opinion doesnt count thanks. like i said its my first one so i could careless bro

Actually being that he's a mod his opinion does count and he is somebody

That being out of the way, all those other trucks you listed that have SAS don't. A sas is a solid axle swap. Putting a solid axle in. A vehicle that didn't have one from the factory. If it came from he factory and is suposed to be there then its going to be better as a daily driver then a sas in your rig.

Im guessing you're young, so I need to show my age and say that there's alot better things you can do with 5k then sas a truck, especially one you're not going to be wheeling.

If you're not going to be doing the work yourself you better make sure whoever got you the quote is good and you get your moneys worth

Either way I thinkyou need to do alot of reaserch in to the topic. Its really not just as simple as throwin some brakets on and done. There's alot of geometry to considder for a proper swap, and there's alot of little thing that need to be done to complete the job.

And yes by the time your done your gonna be double your budget no matter how carefully you plan

 

[Blee1099]

A fabrication/offroad shop especially in California won't touch a rig for less than $8K especially when they have to do custom work. Even if you supply the parts the labor charges will just be overwhelming.

 

[mrbird09]

yes iam supplying parts i have the front end pretty much ready to be put in..and im not mad i just dont like people who come on my thred saying i should buy myself puncuation and grammar when im in college so i know how to spell obviously. Not everyone types proper so im not perfect. And i said they would do it for under 5k..he said about 72 hours of work thats 3 days..dont know if its all back to back being im sure he has other projects as well. Its a shop that does lift kits on trucks so im sure they are trustable but if anything goes wrong its bad for them too..but i will flex her here and there on things i can flex on

 

[Randall]

It certainly isn't a detriment in getting your point across to use acceptable grammar and punctuation.

 

[RockRanger]

We need Sam to start posting in this thread so we will really have no idea on what is being said.


Also go find stic-o build thread and follow it. Good luck on that 5K budget. I will sell you my whole truck for 5k minus the winch and then you will not need a welder at all.

 

[Elessar65]

he said about 72 hours of work thats 3 days. ... but i will flex her here and there on things i can flex on

Dude, listen to what people are telling you man. For what you are gonna use this truck for its waaaay overkill, and you are gonna hate it. Its like buying a Freightliner cause you think it looks cool, and want to drive to the truck stop sometimes.

And yes, 72 hours is 3 days, but I think your truck will be there for more like 3 weeks. They aren't working on it 24 hours a day. Your $5k is gonna be gone in a heartbeat man, whats the labor rate for custom fab work in Cali?

Be practical man, this is your DD. Its needs to be safe, reliable transportation for you. For your needs/wants I would highly recommend going with a lift kit, and if you want some bling in there, ditch the torsion bars for some remote resi coilovers up front. That will be better for Cali anyways.

Also, proper punctuation and grammar makes it easier to understand what you are saying.

causeibetthisis real annoyingto readhuh?

 

[Elessar65]

THIS is pretty much your idea of a truck

 

[lounge lizard]

it just goes back to what I said.

I'm building my SAS, your buying your SAS

and there is a very big difference in that saying.


if I had 5K in my hand and was 19 years old I could buy a rig already modded out easily in Cali!
I know about four rigs out there already for sale. and it would be more of a turn key deal than what you are trying to get into.

tell the guys at the shop to have fun!

won't get much on pictures on this build. by time he gets there with a camera it will be sitting in the parking lot waiting to be picked up and paid for in full.

 

[Elessar65]

Or sitting in the lot with a lien on it cause 5k wouldn't cover it